We recently heard from Sue Thomas who lives in the Yukon (Whitehorse, I believe) about her fond teenage memories of her little '70 Ski-Doo Elan.
So here's a great stroll down memory lane, compliments of reader and rider Sue Thomas:
"I'd love to have my Elan again. The photo was taken in 1971 when I had just turned 13 years old. We lived near Beaver Creek, Yukon.
"I nagged my parents until they bought me the Elan. I'd spent the winter learning to ride and I wanted to enter the snowmobile races at a nearby lake. Dad loaded my Elan and drove us to the races. He entered me in the girls race, the women's race, and an "egg race" where we had to hold two raw eggs in our hands and cross the finish line with the eggs unbroken. Dad took the windshield off so if I rolled during the race, it wouldn't get damaged.
"I think I placed second in the women's race, and first in the girl's race. Don't remember how I did in the egg race but did finish with both my eggs intact. I remember one of the local men offering to lend me his 18 hp Ski-Doo, but I turned him down because I loved my little light Elan and knew how to ride it well.
"Also, my little 12 hp could beat 18 hp machines. I think my dad kept it souped up pretty good—he was a mechanic and he had a small plane, so I wouldn't be surprised if my Elan used av-gas.
"A 24 hp TNT beat me one day on the airstrip but 18 hp machines had a tough time beating my little light one. The local warden had an 18 hp and he wanted to race me, so we did so on a side street in the community. I beat him.
"The races were held on what is now called Enger Lake, near Snag, Yukon. We lived in the community of Beaver Creek, near the Alaska border. The 1202 on the trophy refers to Mile 1202 Alaska Highway (Beaver Creek, Yukon). The 1971 refers to the year of the race."
Then Sue posted another comment, "Looking closer, I see three trophies so I must have placed in the top 3 in the egg race."
Thanks for sharing your great Ski-Doo Elan story Sue, it take us all back more than a few years. Things seemed so simple back then, didn't they?
Got vintage snowmobile stories or photos? We'd love to share them with our SnoRiders readers. Just email: [email protected]
